Thermoelectric lift



July 14, 1964 s.A.scHwAR1-z THERMOELECTRIC LIFT Filed March 4, 1963 INVENTOR. @0A/57 a/Maerz BY 5.,? Wadi.;

July 14, 1964 s. A. SCHWARTZ 3,140,890

THERMGELECTRIG Filed March 4, 1963 S Sheets-Sheet. 2

VENTDR.

S. A. SCHWARTZ THERMOELECTRIC LIFT July 14, 1964 l 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 4, 1963 INVENTOR. J/m/y da/W467i 6fm/Q; M575 United States Patent C M 3,146,899 THERMELECTRIC LIFT Sidney A. Schwartz, 3 Dean Court, East Northport, N.Y. Filed Mar. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 262,808 S Claims. (Cl. 294-1) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for handling loads and particularly for lifting and moving loads.

In the past, lifts for handling loads have been either of the mechanical or magnetic variety. Mechanical lifts necessitate the use of structural supports such as platforms, pallets, nets, slings, cables and the like, upon which the load must be placed before such lifts are of any advantage. This operation is not only time-consuming but expensive in nature in view of present day labor costs. While the use of the magnetic lift overcomes this disadvantage in that loads may be handled without necessitating the use of a structural support, not all types of material may be handled with this type of lift because magnetic lifts are limited to the handling of ferrous materials.

This invention provides a load attachment unit for use with a conventional lifting means in the handling of a wide variety of loads whether ferrous or non-ferrous in nature without necessitating the use of external structural supports. The load attachment unit is an apparatus having an element which thermoelectrically controls the bonding of the unit to the load by means of a freezable fluid medium such as water. The freezable fluid once solidiiied is of suflicient strength to secure the unit to the load without requiring the use of external structural supports. Also, when desired, the unit may be automatically disassociated from the load by the thermoelectric dissolution of the solidified medium into an unbonding fluid.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for use in handling loads, particularly for lifting and moving loads.

Another object is to provide a novel method and apparatus for handling loads without necessitating the use of external structural supports.

A further object is to provide a novel method and apparatus for handling a wide variety of loads whether ferrous or non-ferrous in nature.

A further object is to provide a novel apparatus of improved construction of low fabrication and maintenance cost, high durability and facile in use under a wide variety of service conditions.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a cross sectional View of a thermoelectric lift, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom View of the apparatus showing an array of thermoelectric couples arranged on the lower surface thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View showing the use of the apparatus in the initial phase of the lifting operation;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the use of the apparatus in the second phase of the lifting operation; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the use of the apparatus in the nal phase of the lifting operation.

3,140,890 Patented July 14, 1964 Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in FIG. l, the load attachment unit 11, which is preferably circular in shape, is provided with a semi-rigid housing 12 having an inner rigid core 13 embodied substantially in the center thereof. The housing 12 may be constructed of neoprene rubber or some other like semi-rigid material, while the core 13 may be constructed from a rigid material such as steel plate. The lower surface of the housing 12, as shown in FIGS. l and 2, is inlaid with an array of thermoelectric coupling units 14 in circuit with a power source 15 by means of wiring 19 which passes through the body of the housing 12. rThe inner core 13 communicates with a heat dissipating sink 16 through the inner surface of the housing 12 by means of struts 17, 18, and 19. The outer circumferential portion of the housing 12 is provided with a spraying element 21 which communicates with a uid reservoir 20 by means of hosing 22. The sink 16, which is secured in a conventional manner to the lower surface of the housing 12, is provided with a coupling means 24 for attachment to the desired lift.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the initial phase of the operation, the load attachment unit 11, which is preferably attached to the boom of a mobile lift 23, is moved into an overhead position in proximity to the upper surface of the object 24 to be lifted, at which time, a freezable fluid 25 is automatically sprayed on the upper surface of the object. The dispensing of the fluid 25 from the main reservoir 20 through hosing 22 being automatically controlled by the operator of the lift 23.

In the second phase of the operation, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower surface of the load attachment unit 11 is lowered into contact with the uid reservoir 26 formed on the upper surface of the object 24. The outer circumferential portion of the housing 12 bordering on the inner rigid core 13 is somewhat flexible in nature enabling this portion of the housing to conform to the curvature of the surface of the object to be lifted.

At this time, the array of thermoelectric Itemperature control couplings are then energized in the desired direction resulting in the cooling of the unit by a phenomenon known as Peltiers effect and the lowering of the temperature of the fluid in which the unit is immersed. The energising of each of the thermoelectric coupling units by the power source is automatically controlled by the operator of the lift 23. After a predetermined period of time, the fluid reservoir 26 on the upper surface of the object will be transformed into a solid securely bonding the immersed load attachment unit 24 to the surface of the object 11.

In the third phase of the operation, as shown in FIG. 5, the load attachment unit may now be raised by means of the mobile boom 23, and the object 24, which is secured to the unit by means of the solidified fluid 26 will also be raised from its resting place. While the load is suspended in the air, it may be handled in the manner desired or merely moved by means of the mobile lift to a new location, at which time, the object may be lowered and again set to rest.

`In the nal phase of the operation, when the object is in the desired location, the load attachment unit may be separated from the object by merely reversing the current energizing the unit. As a result, the temperature of the aforesaid unit will begin to rise, the solidied fluid will melt and the bond holding the load attachment unit to the object will be weakened or dissolved to such a degree that the unit may be easily removed from the object 24. At this time, the freed unit 11 is again ready for use in handling loads in accordance with the procedure heretofore set forth.

ansehe-o This apparatus operates in accordance with the Peltier principle i.e. a thermal change will result from the passage of a current through a junction formed by two thermoelectrically dissimilar semiconductor type materials. The passage of current in one direction cools the junction, while a reversal of the direction of the current will liberate heat at the junction. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the array of thermoelectric temperature control unit 14 are inlaid on the circumference of a plurality of circular configurations of decreasing radii which lie between the edge of the lower surface of the housing 12 and the securing means 27. An array of a plurality of couples having a number f small area junctions, as set forth, has the same ability to control temperatures as would a single couple, the junction of which is equal to the combined area of all the smaller junctions. An added advantage is that the electric current through the array is that which is required for an individual couple if, as here, the multiple couples are circuited in series.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teaching. For instance, the overall arrangement of the inlaid thermoelectric couples on the lower surface of the unit may be somewhat altered without, in any way, affecting the operativeness of the invention as described. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as described.

I claim:

1. Thermoelectric lifting-means comprising: a lift;

a housing having lower and upper surfaces;

a core carried by said housing;

a fluid sprayer mounted on said housing,

said sprayer being operatively connected to a fluid reservoir;

a plurality of temperature control units inlaid in the lower surface of said housing,

said units being coupled to a power producing means; and

heat dissipating means communicating with said core through said upper surface of said housing,

said heat dissipating means being provided with a coupling unit adapted to be attached to said lift.

2. Thermoelectric lifting means comprising: a lift,

a semi-rigid housing having lower and upper surfaces,

a rigid core secured centrally in said housing;

a fluid sprayer mounted circumferentially on Said housing,

said sprayer communicating with a fluid reservoir; an array of thermoelectric coupling units inlaid in the lower surface of said housing,

said units being in circuit with a power producing means; and heat dissipating means communicating with said core through said upper surface of said housing,

said heat dissipating means being provided with a coupling unit adapted to be attached to said lift.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said array of thermoelectric coupling units is in the shape of concentric circles inlaid in the lower surface of a round housing.

4. An attachment for use with a lift comprising:

a round, semi-rigid housing having lower and upper surfaces;

a rigid core seated centrally in said housing;

a fluid sprayer mounted circumferentally on said housing,

said sprayer communicating with a fluid reservoir; circular arrays of thermoelectric temperature control units inlaid in the lower surface of said housing,

said units being in circuit with a power producing means; and heat dissipating means communicating with said core through said upper surface of said housing,

said heat dissipating means being provided with a coupling unit adapted to be attached to said lift.

5. A method of handling loads comprising:

forming a fluid reservoir on the upper surface of said load,

contacting said iluid reservoir with a thermoelectric temperature control coupling unit,

solidifying said fluid reservoir thermoelectrically into a mass, bonding said unit to said load, handling said load in the manner desired, and disassociating said mass thermoelectrically into a fluid thereby freeing said unit from said bond. 6. A method of handling loads with a lift provided thermoelectric load attachment circuit comprising:

depositing fluid on the upper surface of said load to form a reservoir, contacting said fluid reservoir with said unit, energizing said unit with a current flowing in one direction to transform said fluid into a solidified mass,

said mass bonding said unit to said load; handling said load in the manner desired, and

reversing the direction of said current,

energizing said unit to dissolve said mass and free said unit from said bonding.

7. A method of handling a load having an upper surface with a lift provided thermoelectric temperature control load attachment couple comprising:

spraying iluid on the upper surface of said load to form a reservoir;

contacting said iluid reservoir with said thermoelectric temperature control couple;

energizing said couple with a current-flowing in one direction to transform said fluid into a solidified mass,

said mass bonding said unit to said load;

lifting and depositing said load in the desired locality;

reversing the direction of said current energizing said unit to dissolve said mass and free said unit from said bonding.

8. An attachment for use with a lift comprising a housing having lower and upper surfaces;

a core carried by said housing;

a fluid sprayer mounted on said housing,

said sprayer being operatively connected to a fluid reservoir;

a plurality of temperature control units inlaid in the lower surface of said housing,

said units being coupled to a power producing means; and

a heat dissipating means communicating with said core through said upper surface of said housing,

said heat dissipating means being provided with a coupling unit adapted to be attached to said lift.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. THERMOELECTRIC LIFTING-MEANS COMPRISING: A LIFT; A HOUSING HAVING LOWER AND UPPER SURFACES; A CORE CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING; A FLUID SPRAYER MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING, SAID SPRAYER BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO A FLUID RESERVOIR; A PLURALITY OF TEMPERATURE CONTROL UNITS INLAID IN THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING, SAID UNITS BEING COUPLED TO A POWER PRODUCING MEANS; AND HEAT DISSIPATING MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CORE THROUGH SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID HOUSING, SAID HEAT DISSIPATING MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH A COUPLING UNIT ADAPTED TO BE ATTACHED TO SAID LIFT. 